


Twenty Feet Apart

by MixieBeeble



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: A dash of salt in later chapters, AU August, Adorable Fluff, Adrien is a lil more angsty here, Adrien will have an actual childhood, Alternate Universe, Childhood Friends, Cute romance, Drabbles, F/M, First Love, Lila will get what's coming for her, Neighbors, Smitten Kitten, dorky adrien, nice chloe, no miraculous
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-14
Updated: 2019-08-21
Packaged: 2020-08-23 15:56:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20245456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MixieBeeble/pseuds/MixieBeeble
Summary: The divorce didn't come as a surprise to Adrien, his father was never there after all, still it tore his heart to see his mother crumble behind her strong façade.He learned early on that fairy tale love stories only stay in strory books.(A/N: jokes on you boi. Cause this is a fanfiction)-----Drabble Fic | AU AugustAn AU in which Emilie didn't disappear but divorced Gabriel instead, now the boy is in split custody but mostly lived in his mother's new apartment. Across their building Adrien makes an unlikely friendship with a klutzy baker girl.





	1. Moving Day | Raspberry Pie

**Author's Note:**

> I got inspired enough to do a drabble fic for this August.

**Moving day**

_"I'm sorry, Adrien."_

He stared at his new room, it was small, he noted quietly but it felt cozier than his previous room in a way, its walls were colored in a deep aquamarine hue and the window that shed light over the side of his new twin sized bed will in fact show him an overview of people walking by, unlike his old room void of people even outside the windows where fences barred out strangers. 

Over all it felt.... Less lonely. 

_"I'm sorry, Adrien."_

Adrien was praised by many people for being a_ 'smart kid'_, he knew a lot of things, remembered many information he'd read in his books and even quick to catch onto things. He knew many things regular kids his age don't even know. 

Which is why he had no surprises when Emilie Agreste, his kind and loving mother, had told him that she can't be his father's wife anymore, in a soft tone one would use on a little child. Imagine her shock when he asked if they signed the divorce papers yet. 

_"I'm sorry, Adrien."_

Adrien was only eight and a half back then.

Why he knew of the word? The word _divorce_ was next to very nice words in the dictionary he read. He never forgot it and often he wondered if it would happen between his parents. Adrien didn't think it would happen so soon after he knew of the word. And now he's moving at nine years old. 

So no, he wasn't surprisesed at all when his mom knelt in front of him and gently told him so. 

In knowledge you gain but in knowledge you can also lose many things. In his case, Adrien lost his ignorance.

Thus no such thing as bliss. 

As he unpacked his belongings into the new room he sighed and frowned, staring very hard at the clothes haphazardly skewn over the sheets of his twin bed. 

_"I'm sorry, Adrien."_

Adrien only wished his mom would stop apologising for choosing to leave the hurt behind that hollow mansion. 

It was his first time experiencing it but so unlike the movies, as in reality he was his own protagonist, moving required actual _moving_. His things didn't magically unpack and arrange themselves, he supposes thats another thing about fantasy and movies.

Sometimes life's gotta suck and you gotta live with it. 

Adrien decided that he didn't like moving day so much. 

His day only got better when his mom apparently had made some iced tea and had desserts ready for him when he finished up in his room. 

* * *

**Raspbery Pie**

Young Marinette Duapain-Cheng frowned at the moving trucks blocking her view of the side of the building across their bakery windows, today was the one day she decided to break a bit from fashion doodles and trying her sketching skills on some scenery and practice capturing some still-life.

It did not go as planned as she pouted off on the distance, she sat just outside the side of their bakery entrance where she wouldn't block anyone from passing through.

The trucks have been there to and fro all afternoon.

Okay, a bit exaggerated since they just arrived a few minutes ago BUT, a very, very big but at that, she's nearly finished with her sketch and they just so happened to park on that one side of the building she hasn't covered. 

And now the afternoon sun was slowly dimming. Giving up when it slowly inched to dusk she got up from her fetal position and dusted her jumper, closing her sketch pad as she did so. She didn't leave just yet and wondered just how many delicate stuff the truck was transporting. They seemed to only carry one box at a time, she assumed that they were fragile stuff like vases. 

Marinette's intrigue spiked up however when a pretty blonde woman suddenly walked out of the building and talked to one of the men in charge, she was holding up something like a jewelry box, it appears to be broken. 

Now, she wasn't super mad or making a scene, she was just informing the person in charge that this was not supposed to be broken. She was even giving him a kind and patient smile.

Marinette was a little more than intrigued the more she looked at the lady. She looked really familiar somehow.

A hand on her shoulder startled her out of her thoughts though. The young girl looks up at her mother in alarm. She didn't violate any stranger danger or traffic rules so why was her mom out? 

Sabine only smiled and handed her a box, the underside felt warm, fresh out of the oven. "You're not in trouble, dear. Your papa and I were just talking.." She glances at the window where Marinette coupd clearly see her silly dad making a silly thumbs-up gesture. "If you could handle your first outdoor errand."

Marinette all but beamed at her mom and eagerly pushed her pencils and sketch pad on Sabine's arms. "Where maman?" She excitedly bounces in place. 

"Just over there, _mon petit macaron._" Sabine pointed. "I'm assuming that lady is our new neighbor, and as tradition a free pie." 

"Oh!" Marinette wished it was a bit farther, unafraid since she always accompanied Todd, their part time delivery boy, often outside when he had deliveries. She's convinced she won't get lost with that much experience under her sleeves. 

What she did like was that she gets to meet the lady next door. She seemed pleasant, and Marinette still cant shake the fact that she looked so familiar. 

"Okay maman! I can handle it." She smiled and was sure to not let down her mom. checking left and right before she crossed the pedestrian lane. 

It wasn't far at all. Almost like twenty adult steps across. 

"Excuse me, madame." Marinette says, her shyness only surfacing when the woman turned to look at her. "H-here.." She lifted the box up at the blonde lady. 

"Oh? But this can't be, I didn't make an order sweetie. There must be a mistake." The nameless beauty says but reluctantly takes the package to check if there was a signed name for the designated customer. 

"Oh! It's free!" Marinette says almost too quickly, making the lady look at her direction in awe, making the girl freeze. Oh. So that's why she's familiar. 

"Really?" Emilie Agreste smiles serenely down at her. 

Marinette mutely nods slightly agape, she pointed back at her mother who was still watching the exchange. "Fr-free for new neighbors. T-tradition." 

Emilie grins and waves at Sabine and giving her a nod, a thank you. Sabine smiles back and with a slight tilt on her head, she meant that it was a pleasure. 

Marinette took it as her cue to hobble her way back to the bakery. 

°•°•°•°^°•°•°•°

Emilie watched her with interest, smile only widening. She caught a whiff of the wafting scent of caramelized raspberry, with another thankful smile at the pair across the street she turned back to her own building. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts? Suggestions? 
> 
> Violent reactions?


	2. Doodle | Critique

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the title lies the true summary.

**Doodle**

Marinette was having trouble for days now, none of her new design styles said _summer_ at all. They looked horrid at best. 

She glared at the papers that mocked her. 

Just yesterday she had run out of sketch pad space and for now she used some old stock list her parents managed to spare for her. They didn't have time to accompany her to buy a new sketch pad so they made do of what they had. 

The only problem was that they kept being on constant disarray since there was no spring to bind them.

And she had the worst idea to set up her drawing spree on her balcony, not her brightest moment. 

Marinette huffed in frustration as she constantly had to pat them down as to not fly away from sudden bursts of air. 

But air don't care. 

She yelps when one sneaky paper managed to slip through her grasp. She helplessly watched it get blown away, not able to stop it from flying away further since the rest of her hands had to keep the rest of her stacks of doodles firmly down in place. 

It flew slow, flittering about as if dancing a mockery dance for her failure to restrain it. 

Marinette followed it by gaze until it splat on a person's face. 

Huh, it was a first for that particular window to be open at this hour of the day. 

The person assaulted by the paper pawed off the optical obscurity and from that distance Marinette could make out a boy's face. 

She saw him let go of something as he examined her doodle page. She involuntarily yelped in embarrassment but couldn't move or do anything to stop him. 

Her alarmed noise caught his attention at least. 

They did a staredown and understanding seemed to light up the boy's face. 

Marinette saw him fled back into his room, window ajar. She sighed, perhaps she'll never see that acursed piece of paper again, the young girl only decided to tidy up her paper and firmly set her pencil case over it when in her peripherals she glimpsed the tufts of blonde hair again. 

She looked to his direction again, she turned just in time to witness him pull back his arm to and then catapult it. 

A perfect landing on her little table, was a familiar paper folded into a really small rectangular mound. 

Naturally she opened it to find an eraser inside to give the paper extra mass, nothing odd there. Her doodle however, was not how it was before it flew off. 

* * *

**Critique**

Living in their---no, his father's mansion-- didn't give him many things to do, aside from the many games and books he stocked for him to keep him from wanting to go out. Granted that they weren't very far from his father's mansion since their move but the last few days have been amazing, his mother had a new job and she worked only on afternoons 'til the evening and had Saturday and Sunday off, if recalled she said it was something of a fashion critique corner in a magazine. This allowed the two of them plenty of free time to spend together and do plenty of things they never could back in the mansion. 

Cleaning the windows was one of the things he's never done, nor it would've been a thing his father will ever let him do. 

Adrien wanted to do it. He did. And so, he has the cloth for it. His mom was at work when he thought of this and he wasted no time. He spent some time on his computer, watching some cleaning videos before he went into action. 

He was drying the panes of glass when a piece of paper flopped harshly on his face. 

Momentarily stunned he stilled but recovered soon enough to scrape the piece of paper off his face. He dropped his washcloth on the side of the window sil to examine the paper. The first thing he noticed on the drawing was that it was a design sketch, he took it all in and focused on the angry lines of pencil, and faded lines from erasures. 

The deep crease on the paper marked the creator's frustration. Adrien remembered, his father's work would turn out similarly if he disliked the output in the middle of producing it. 

Who could---his eyes didn't have to look far when he tilted his head up to find a girl his age on the rooftop of the neighboring building. Her features matched his mother's little story of the baker girl next door. 

He decided. Since she clearly made his mom's day last time he will try and help her out. Having two fashion experts as his parents taught him a thing or two. 

Adrien scurried over to his desks and grabbed a red pen and a highlighter. 

It didn't take him long at all, there were minimal changes needed for it to look more _'Summer'_. The rest will be up to her. 

Finishing up, he did hesitate at first but still signed his name at the bottom with a quick thank you for the raspberry pie. He folded it to 1/8th size of the paper with an eraser to add weight inside it. 

> _Thanks for the pie!_
> 
> _\--Adrien A. _

When Adrien tossed the paper back to the unsuspecting girl, he didn't think much of how she'll take his criticism. 

But as she read through his little notes and turned to him with a grateful smile with a quiet but unmistakable _thank you_, he felt great. 

Looks like the baker girl made _his_ day instead. 


	3. Burnt Cookies | Cat Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hueheluehuehuehue.....

**Burnt Cookies**

Cooking was also one of the many things Adrien has never done, much less cooking with his mother. It brought excitement to him to be able to do something so domestic with her, half of him strongly wished his dad were here too. 

That little wish never lasted long when their attempt of cookies came out burnt. Disappointment, would be his father's reaction. 

Adrien winced as he looked at their crumbly texture. When his mother only laughed his worries faded. 

"Oh gosh, this is what happens when two novices skip straight to level five." Emilie giggled and pet her son's hair. "We should've seen it coming, really." 

Adrien smiles along, of course, his mother wasn't one to get upset over something like this, but also he forgot. They never used to have time like this together when they were back in the mansion, his mom was always wrapped up in the schedule his dad had for her. 

These were one of the good things he's gotten since moving in. Though both his parents agreed on split custody, he's still yet to meet up with his father and it's been weeks. All Gabriel Agreste could manage were stiff phone calls and an arangement for one hour of junior fencing classes for Tuesdays and Thursdays and Chinese classes for the following hour on the same days. Four hours a weel for his dad, which strangely didn't _involve_ his dad. 

Who was he kidding though? As his mother often uttered, the man was too involved with his work to bother with them. 

"What do you say we just take our teatime at the bakery across the road?" 

Adrien looked up at his mom whilst wiping the counter. "Right now?" Going out? Oh his father would get aneurysm if he heard, he was always too over protective but since the divorce and their agreements both his parents got on even grounds. Adrien can be anywhere he wants to be with Emilie's care and as for when in Gabriel's care... Well, _ya know_. 

"Of course right now! While the sun's still up and smiling." Emilie chirps and put away their washed dishes. "Plus I've been meaning to go for weeks. Since day one, in fact."

"Okay, should I bring anything?" If he said he wasn't excited then, please, call him a liar. 

"It's alright, honey." Emilie fixed her hair into a high ponytail and grabbed her purse. "You're dressed okay and hmm.." She grinned and dusted his shirt from stray flour and wiped his cheek with a paper towel. "Good to go!" 

Adrien marked Saturday as hus favorite day. 

* * *

**Cat Eyes**

Marinette's day was good so far, today maman let her pipe in the macaron fillings. She did well most of the time and it delighted her to see the macarons she did go onto display. It made her so happy she started counting patrons who odered them. 

The walk-in patrons increased by afternoon and Marinette's tally list exceeded her small sticky note page that she had to move on to the next page. The stock was quickly sold off that she was grateful she set aside some for later. 

Mid afternoon was when their shop bell jingled the umpteenth time but it wasn't the usual unrecognizable walk-ins nor was it pne of the many tourists that pay visit. 

Marinette recognized the pair immediately. The woman who was actually the recently divorced Emilie Agreste and her son, whom she later found out to be her critic, Adrien Agreste. Her excitement seemed to ooze through when her mother passed by her and gave her an amused smile, she went to greet the two. 

Emilie recognized her and thanked her heartily for the raspberry pie when they first came. 

"Oh it was nothing, madame, my name is Sabine and behind the counter is my husband, Tom." She pointed at the bulky man who waved. "The girl over there behind display counter is my daughter, Marinette." 

Her cheeks flushed from the sudden spotlight, she too waved her hello. 

"Of course, I remember that little sweetheart." Emilie smiled wide at Marinette's direction. "My name is Emilie and this is my son Adrien." 

Sabine smiled at the boy and nodded at him. "So what can I get you Mme. Emilie?" Of course she noticed him sneaking glances at her daughter but she said nothing of it. 

"Well, initially today me Adrien were going to have a little tea party." Emilie's smile turned sheepish. "But we burnt our cookies. So is there anything you recommend for us?" 

Sabine smiled in kind, and led her to the cookie displays. "You know, once a month we offer baking lessons, would you like to attend classes with your son this Sunday? I know how tough it is to start with little experience." 

"Oh! That sounds delightful!" 

The mothers went into full discussion. Adrien, took his chance to escape the chatter and started to head for Marinette's area. 

"Hey." Adrien said with a friendly smile. "Did you finish your dress?" 

Marinette's nervousness was still there but his topic sparked her to babble excitedly, profusely thanking him for his help. "Wanna see?" She didn't wait for him to answer when she was already rummaging through her papers. And there it was, she lifted it, good as new but she clipped the previous paper with Adrien's notes on at the back. 

Adrien took it from her politely and glanced over the paper. It was an impressive improvement. "Wow, you made it ten times better. You even added fitting jewelry--uh" He paused. "Is there something on my face?" 

Marinette blinked and shook her head no. "Sorry, I didn't mean to stare. You have... Cat eyes." Then she slapped her hands on her mouth and mumbled apologies for saying that. 

Adrien blinked then laughed. "I guess your right! I got em' from my mom though." He grinned, now that she mentioned it he really did believe the shade was almost like that of the shade cats usually have. 

While their mothers conversed the two ended up looking through almost all of Marinette's sketches. 

By the time Emilie and Adrien had gotten their orders, they decided to snack on the bakery. Sitting together were the pair of mothers, sharing cooking and baking tips. 

The pair of kids by then, had filled Marinette's sketches with notes in between sweets and tea. 

Adrien would still occasionally go back on the topic of eyes, he mentally notes, she had a very pretty set of bluebells on there too. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More fluff coming up in the next chapter.


	4. Paper Planes | String Mail

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I realize..... So this is why most authors do drabbles.... 
> 
> This is so fun!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I dunno if you guys noticed but i did an oopsie and accidentally posted a future chapter draft i finished..... 
> 
> Hahahah..... Oopsie...

**Paper Planes**

Thrill, was what she felt when the paper was grasped in her palms, she tumbled on her chaise in her attempt of backing up to catch it.

"And he scores!" Adrien cheered across their twenty feet distance when Marinette caught his mail. 

Marinnette grinned at her friend, sitting up, she unfolded the plane and delighted to see that Adrien even added Emilie's notes on her new purse project. She flew this one over to him earlier this day before he had to go for his Fencing and Chinese classes. Crazy huh? Classes in summer? Marinette felt bad for her friend when he waved at her before leaving, he made sure to leave his window open in case she wanted to add another sketch. 

The sweltering heat made it impossible for her to work on her balcony so they settled with their room to room airmail, the pros and cons though, if done like this its easier since their rooms are perfectly leveled right, unlike in the balcony. The sad part is that Marinette had to say goodbye to a few stray papers taken by the wind. 

Marinette thumbed on the awful doodle of a black cat on the edge of the paper with a grin. This became a thing apparently, along with the other thing where they continued to swap notes for her sketches. 

But sometimes they would just throw rolls of paper with knock-knock jokes, as pioneered by Adrien. The paper rolls were easier to maneuver. 

She was still drinking in his fashion notes when an accursed paper roll hit her forehead.

Sometimes Marinette would ponder if Adrien was actually psychic. 

Exhaling loudly and with heavy heart she unfurled the roll of paper. The usual notepad. 

> _Knock, knock._

Marinette brought out her pencil and sent Adrien a weak glare when she rolled it up again. 

> _Who's there? _

Adrien only grinned cheekily. Scribbles his turn and thew back the crumpled paper. 

> _Annie. _

This was bad, her mind is trying to figure out the joke. Marinette humored him as she always did in the past few days they started the one sided knock-knock war. 

> _Annie, who? _

His expression was absolutely catty as he replied his punchline. 

> _Annie body up for some UMS II? _

Marinette grinned and rushed to the window to yell, "You're on, cat boy!" She then rushed down to their living room to turn on their console, loading the game then sprints out of their apartment and down to the bakery. 

Adrien was already greeting her parents while hugging an oversized bag of cheetos in his arms. 

Both kids shared a grin and after stocking up of reject cookies and croissants they both made their way up for some binge gaming.

It got late that when Emilie went to pick Adrien up they endes up dining there with the Dupain-Cheng's. 

* * *

**String Mail**

It's one of those days. Too hot out to play in the park with Mari and too windy to properly switch notes. In frustration they both stopped throwing out paper planes or balled paper cause it was a lost cause, and bad for the environment. 

Both, instead sad on their respective bed and chaise dejectedly, each doing their thing. Mari was sketching as usual and Adrien busied himself with his Chinese lessons and exercises and occasionally they'd meet gazes and shared bored expressions. 

He would offer that they could play UMS again but one could only go through enough defeats for a week. So, no, he wouldn't go willingly lose more pride until he polished his moves by himself. Adrien did facepalm to himself when he almost declared a movie marathon, he left all his movie collection back in his father's mansion. 

Adrien rested his chin on his arms, propped there on his window sil he absentmindedly stared at Marinette who was rolling some loosened thread back---it's quite like a pulley system isn't it? 

Hey! Now there's an idea. 

The blonde grabbed at his thinning notebook and tore several pages, frantically he wrote three copies of the same knock-knock jokes, already writing the usual replies he'd let Mari write, can't waste time. 

He's done and had three ready ammos in case the air messes up his aim again. 

"Psst!" Adrien made sure he had her attention. "Here comes some air mail, Mari!" 

Marinette stood up and held her palms open in preparation. 

Her getting in position was his cue. The first throw missed her window by an arm long, it didn't even reach the concrete of her building. That's what his backup ammos are for. 

With great luck Marinette managed to catch the second ball of paper, but not without giving Adrien a mini heart attack. She didn't have to lean so far out of her window to catch it!

Adrien was getting his shoes already when Marinette started reading. 

> _Knock, knock. _
> 
> _M: who's there?_
> 
> _C. _
> 
> _M: C who? _
> 
> _I'm coming over to C you! _

The blonde grabbed an old metal wired coat hanger before storming out of his apartment, straight to the bakery. 

Marinette met him halfway and led him up rhe stairs after they greeted Tom and Sabine. 

Now, both kids sat on the pink carpet of Marinette's room while Adrien shared his idea. 

"Let's make a pulley system Mari!" 

She excitedly got on board with the brillant idea. They rummaged through her old stuff and found empty needle rolls. They talked about it, since their floors were high enough not to bother anyone, it was fleasible. 

They only bothered Tom once, just to help them cut the metal wiring from Adrien's metal coat hanger, since the man was tge only one who could reach the tool box containing wire cutters. 

By the end of the afternoon and a few screws wedged on both children's window sils, Adrien waited for Mari across the buildings. 

Marinette secured her end of a nylon thread, and wound it around her pulley roll and Adrien's roll, looping and easy ribbon on the latter and threw the roll over to Adrien, the weight of it was not deterred by the wind and hit Adrien's bed with a tump. 

Adrien gave her a thumbs up and they both adjusted the length of the nyon string connecting them. Once the length was firm but not too tight he cut and tied the strings and clipped his roll onto the holder he attached on his window sil. Marinette's done the same.

Both mirroring toothy grins when they tested their pulley system. A full round. 

Their little express mail system was a go. 

The two wasted no time at all in swapping notes. Paper clips securing their paper on the string, they traded papers at the same time.

To commemorate their breakthrough, Marinette got her bunny shaped Polaroid camera and posed by her window, Adrien too following suit. It took a few shots before she got the perfect angle, showing both their jubilant faces and their awesome mail system. 

That picture sat proudly on her corkboard that evening. Marinette then, with paperclip on a string, sent him the failed shot in which Adrien was blinking. 

He was then smiling until he closed his eyes that night. 


	5. Glitter Pants | Hachiko

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Expectations?  
*listens*
> 
> .....
> 
> Yes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to Nagisa94!  
This is for you hun!

**Glitter Pants**

They agreed on it but it doesn't mean he will enjoy it. To think this was his almost-future. It sent shivers down his spine. 

Here stood Adrien Agreste in glitter pants. 

Who gave Marinette this idea? _Who?_ They deserve to be in time out. 

"Marinette it itches so bad. Please, may I take it off?" He asked the millionth time that day. 

"Noooo, I swear I'm almost finished!" 

"You said that thirty minutes agoooo." Now he was pouting. "_OW!_ Heeeeyyyy watch where you poke that thing!" 

"Ooh boo-hoo big baby." The bluenette giggles and patted his leg. "Want a lollipop for the booboo?" 

He gave her the dryest look in the history of dryness. "Not funny.. That line doesn't work since you're not a doctor, Mari." 

"Big whoop. We're not stopping. I need to do this, now hold still tiny Ken doll." 

They did stop though when blood finally entered the picture. Of course Marinette panicked and ended up crying apologies to him. Sabine patched up the little poke wound on his knee and nothing big came of it. 

Though instead, Adrien comforted his friend until after dinner when his mom picked him up. 

At the door, still she apologized. 

"Marinette," He firmly says grasping her hands for comfort. "It's _okay_. It didn't really hurt?" 

"Really?" As meek as she asked it, her action to try and touch it was a polar opposite. 

"Nooo touchy yet." Adrien just pushed her hand away. "My point is, I can take a few needles. You love designing and sewing and I love hanging out with you! So it's a win-win even if I complain a lot. It sure beats being alone." He hugged her for good measure. 

She rubbed at her puffy eyes and nodded on his chest. "Okay, Adrien."

After the ordeal, Marinette cut the glitter pants to size and instead made baggies out of them. After a few days of rest she went back to using him as a dressing dummy. 

Needless to say... There were more days ahead where Adrien had more than one poke wound on his person. 

* * *

**Hachiko**

Over one day apart Adrien happily returned to his mom's apartment, not even too chatty about his time with his dad when she asked him how it went. One good thing did come from his visit though, its that he filled his bag with a portion of his movie collection. 

Though when he got to his room.

There was a Marinette sized lump on his bed. Oh, so this was why his mother was grinning just before she left to buy groceries.

Adrien put his bag down and toed off his shoes. A few steps backward then a charge in and leap. 

It deflated though. 

"Got you!" The girl who was supposed to be the said blanket lump burst out of his closet and fired, clearly it was his water gun, mercilessly at him. Nailing his face. 

"Hiiisssss, it burns!" With over the top vampire hissing he went down on the floor with a thump. "Aaggh I see the light----eeeghhh." Irregular twitching for a finish then he was dead. 

Until Marinette ditched the gun and dove to tickle his armpits. 

This time Adrien retaliates and they wrestled in giggles until both were out of breath. Both, beat and panting laid on the carpet staring up the ceiling. 

"That was a neat trick, Mari." 

"Of course, I'm the master of ideas." 

Adrien laughs and pushed himself to sit up. "Hey, I brought some of my movie collection! D'ya wanna marathon with me?" 

"Sure! Watcha got?" 

They rummaged his bag and picked one they both hadn't seen before, Adrien said it was probably his mom's since she was big on cute fluffy animal movies and the cover clearly had a cute shiba inu there. It seemed cute and fun. 

...

But they were wrong about that. 

Both kids where a sobbing mess when Emilie got home and as confused as she was when Adrien demanded she forbid him to ever get a dog, she ended up understanding immediately when Marinette weeped out a name. 

She hugged both kids and patted their backs and assured them that it was just a movie and no dog died in production of the said movie. 

\---

_*Until years later Adrien would google that Hachiko was indeed a true story, then he would whine to Marinette over it. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How do you guys like it so far? 
> 
> Leave comments for your thoughts! I love reading em! 
> 
> Thank you all to the ones who left kudos!


	6. Knight | Princess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So many things to do then ideas keep popping and then they pile up.... Help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took a lil break since my trip to another city.... Carsickness is a pain but it was all worth it.  
🐶 (´ε｀ )♡

**Knight**

Their string mail system, they soon started calling Adrinette Express Mail, the couldn't think of a better name but then it stuck, and kept improving their delivering tools. Marinette made their string rollers soke mailbox housings out of plasic bottles, then they both painted them together by the park. Both kids pained to explain why they both came home covered in paint. Adrien's mailbox which was supposed to originally be green with black trimmings ended up black with green trimmings. Marinette's pink mailbox ended up red since they, by some accident, spilled all of the white paint which was un-salvageable. The black spots were only added later when drops of black stained some parts by, again, another accident. Marinette saved it by adding spots to it. 

Just to make things interesting with the little green paint left, she also dotted the side's of Adrien's mailbox with green pawprints. 

Days that came Marinette made stringed bells to tie inside their mailbox shells, positioned to ring when a letter is rolled in. 

It worked so well, in fact it was the highlight of his day when it was too hot out to play, the jingle of the bell meant he got something from Mari, and vise versa. Whether he was swamped with Chinese exercises or just reviewing his notes on it, he always had time to reply to her. 

They wrote the silliest things to the most serious secrets. Like how Adrien would send over a page of dedicated cat memes to cheer Marinette up when she burnt her finger. Then when Adrien vented about how little his father seemed to care about them. 

Marinette also rolled in other things rather than letters. There was one time when Emilie was called in work so early for an emergency leaving little time for her to even get ready. Later she aplogized to him for being unable to cook him lunch through the phone, she told him to micro yesterday's pasta instead. 

Which he did but he never lost his burnt touch, he dialed the timer wrong. It seemed like the microwave worked differently from the toaster timer. 

He plopped on his bed dejectedly mid noon when his bell notified him of mail. Adrien smiled and got up to collect it. Baffled only to feel that it wasn't a note at all, but a baggie of assorted cookies, the slightly crooked shape indicated they were batches that were rejected or made by Marinette. He hoped for the latter. 

He waved at her with a smile while raising the bag. Adrien clipped his reply, a cat doodle with a thank you scribbled on its side. 

Now aside from little letters and notes. Today Adrien was sending something different. He wasn't sure why he was a little nervous to clip it on the string but he was. Still, he managed to roll it over to her side. 

Hearing the her bell chime he saw Mari get up from drawing on the floor and come to wave at him. Adrien waved back. 

He masked an elated grin when she looked over with a thumbs up after seeing what he sent. 

Thus it brought them here at _Dupoint_, where the school court was volunteered to hold an annual junior fencing competion. 

"You can do it, Adrien!" Marinette encouraged him whilst his fencing coach adjusted his white padding, it was first match. "You're like a... A... Bazillion times better than all these other kids!"

Adrien smiles at his friend, could she tell he was experiencing jitters? "Thanks, Mari. I can't let my guard down though, who knows how much practice they could've gone through." He didn't want her to get too high hopes he'd win, that'll definitely put pressure on him too. Afar he could see his mom with the Mme. Cheng, too bad Tom couldn't be here, he had to man the bakery while they were here. 

"I know you'll win though." Marinette bumped at his shoulder playfully. 

"How so, O' wise one." Adrien laughed, nodding a thanks to his coach when the adjustments were done. 

"'Cause, don't laugh okay?" She pouts. "You look like a real knight just now." 

Blankly he stared her down, she was serious.

"Oh." Now this is why he liked Mari so much, she always pulls out the mischief in him in any type of situation. Adrien grinnes and did an exaggerated bow at her. "Then, art thou thy princess?"

"What--no!" She gaped at him and huffed. "I knew you'd make fun of me! Argh!"

"Of course not Mari." He assures her and pat her arm. "I'm humoring you, there's a vast difference.".

"_Uhuh_, you and your big words." 

Adrien laughs but soon sobers up. "Didn't you know? In old times, ladies and princesses would offer ribbons for their knights and the knight will fight win any battle in his lady's name." 

They kept eye contact in a span of seconds. Yet, again, his friend left him shook when she pulled at her hair ties and pushed them at his chest. Marinette smirked at his gawking face. 

"Then you better try twice as hard. Bring thy name victory, Sir Agreste." 

Adrien he stared, the raven locks on her shoulders were pretty. It was an unusual look on her since he never saw her wear her hair down or in any other style. 

Her ribbons were tied tightly on his saber handle and he never lost grip of it, even until he recieved the golden trophy with _'1st Place'_ etched on it. 

* * *

**Princess**

The nickname never left them. Though clearly, Marinette dropped his knight nickname, Adrien didn't follow suit. It was slightly embarrassing at times but lately she didn't care enough anymore. 

Today the sun was less intense on the earth. A good day with fair wind. Its on days like these Marinette would be out and about on _Place des Vosges_ to sketch new projects under the trees. 

Her little outings had an addition and that was when Adrien came around. Adrien was always eager to follow and Emilie was more than willing to allow her boy outside as long as he wasn't totally alone, and it was an area close enough that neighbors saw everything. 

Today was no different, Marintte sat under her usual tree, sketch pad in her lap, with an extra body behind her already breaching personal space to peek at her work. 

"Adrien, I haven't even started yet." She giggles, granted she hasnt even sharpened her pencil yet. 

"So? You make it look like magiii----ic." The boy justifies, he was cradling a backpack in his own lap. In their last outing he left in unchecked and a few squirrels feasted on their snacks. 

"I'm not that good really," Marinette checked the point, not too sharp, promptly as she did so, also brushing off the pencil shavings off her space. "You're just _that_ bad."

Adrien gasped and gave her a mocked hurt face. "O' the pain. My princess peirces my heart! Such cruel, cold words!" He sobbed and threw his weight over her back.

Marinette groans being pressed forward in an odd angle. "Augh! Get off!" 

"Noooo... I'm wounded..." 

"Adrien, I swear!" 

"Swear? My princess? Oh have you been cursed after all---"

"No, you dork! You're gonna make me break my pencil!"

_Snap! _

...

"Adrien?"

"Yes, dear princess?"

"Run."

He needn't be told twice before he sprints to the direction of the carousel. "I'm so sorry!" Adrien yells in between laughter. "Forgive me, princess!" 

"I'm no princess, today I'm a _dragon!_" 


	7. Jitters | First Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I cant stop. The plot bunnies are taking over.... 
> 
> Ahhh!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *shameless enough to put my own art in*
> 
> Link to my twitter post: https://twitter.com/mixiebeeble/status/1163831598803849217?s=20
> 
> (recently made one so I could congratulate pewdiepie on his wedding, lucky enough it happened sooner than I thought. Not that he'll see my congratulatory message but it's the thought that counts.)

**Jitters**

Summer ended just like that, no more overflowing free time. Movie Monday, nay. Game Night Tuesday, maybe. Bakeday Wednesday, probably not. Sewing Thursday...-he didn't care much for that day since it's mostly just a day where Mari uses him as a dressing dummy and poke him with needles, then he'd go to his summer classes in slight pain. Errand Friday, a sort of fun day where the Dupain-Chengs would let them do nearby deliveries, or go buy grocery stuff together for both their parents, it was great since the two were allowed out without adult supervision which made it feel like an adventure. 

There's no way they're cancelling on Mail Saturday. It was that one day where they overused their mailing system by sending out anything and everything, just cause they can. Be it snacks, sketches, notes, venting letters piled with the week of playdays, and Adrien's secret hard feelings regarding his dad.

And especially they will never cancel Ice Cream Sunday. In which the bakery is closed for half the day after noon and Adrien's mom is free as well. They'd go out together to get ice cream for the kids and basically turned routine tradition. One parent could miss and the kids always brought back a cup of ice cream for home. 

A day such as today. The last Ice Cream Sunday, afterwhich summer vacation is finally over. 

Their summer calender was a fun ordeal. Since Adrien came around everything got so exciting. They always came up with new things they wanted to do daily until days later the two friends made a strict schedule and henceforth their weeks were planned. 

"Mari, your ice cream is melting." 

"Oh! Oops." She laughed softly and lapped up the droplets. Marinette looked more bothered than he was. 

"Worried about tomorrow?" Adrien asks while giving a wave over their parents who caught his eye. Emilie waved back and they continued conversing with André the ice cream man. 

"Yeah. Well...you know why though.." Marinette kept her gaze down on her melting treat. She didn't even budge when he bumped her shoulder. 

Adrien sighed extra dramatically. "Honestly.. You ought to be the one comforting _me_." This time he bumped their knees, ignoring the fact that their bench was free on both sides and there was plenty of space. "_I'm_ the homeschooled one here."

Marinette grinned up at him at last. "Hey at least you look cool, Adrien!" She took a small bite on the peak of her ice cream. "Though," Swallow. "The cool only lasts until you talk.Then they'll know how bad of a dork you are." 

Adrien frowned and grabbed at her wrist, a mischievous grin slowly forming at his lips. He did it quick as he was absolutely sure she witnessed it. Chomping down on her cone in half, then as usual, he ran for it. 

"Oh my---oooooh! You get back here Agreste!"

°•°•°•°^°•°•°•°

"Aw. Look at him act his age." Emilie mused when they finished their chat with André, who shared ice cream tips to the baker couple. 

"Shouldn't he be?" Sabine too adoringly stared at their trouble making pair of kiddies. 

"Of course he should. He absolutely should." The blonde's smile turned a little sour. "Its just that, I thought Gabriel might've... Left a lasting behavior on him." 

Sabine put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing. "Clearly your boy just needed someone to pull out the child in him and he's a very good boy, Emilie. You did well." 

It was moments like these that eased her burdens, these two helped not only her son but her as well. Never ever would she regret choosing the less thorny path for her and Adrien. 

°•°•°•°^°•°•°•°

"Awwh.." Adrien pouted down at his fallen ice cream. 

"Serves you right. Humph!" Marinette panted beside him giving him a light kick on the shin grinning when he yelped pain. 

Adrien recovers fast though. "Well it couldn't be helped. I guess," 

"_No._" She knew very well what that look meant. 

"I had a rocky road ahead." 

"I hate you." 

"No. No, you don't." 

"You're right but today I hate you. You're an immobile..." 

"Do you mean _imbecile_?" 

"Yes, that word." 

"Okay, whatever helps you sleep at night, Marinette." Adrien patted off dust on his pants. "Let's go back?" Marinette hummed and took his extended hand anyway. 

They walked back hand in hand. 

While _still_ having a one sided spat. 

<strike> _ (A/N: my biggest nightmare as a child..)_ </strike>

* * *

**First Day**

Did he overhype himself? Maybe he did. He stared at his heavy loaded messenger bag. Adrien glared at the small thing. 

"Adrien are you done--oh goodness!" Emilie blanched but soon started giggling. 

"_Moooom_ don't laugh..." 

"My, my, myyyy." She went over and pulled out some books he stuffed in and left only notebooks and his pencil case. "You're going to school, not military camp, sweetheart." Emilie turned to brush his hair to the side and kissed his cheek. "Its still a bit too early but I saw evidence you already ate cereal. Gonna pick up Marinette?"

The boy nodded rapidly. "I couldn't fall back to sleep after 5:30 AM." 

"That excited huh? Alrighty then, don't let me stop you." 

Adrien walked with an extra skip in his step and Emilie walked with him to the bakery where she would usually enjoy her coffee. 

He greeted Mari's parents sunnily before storming up to their apartment. They warned him that she was still asleep until now. _Seriously_.

When he did push open the trap door he involuntarily laughed because from the looks of it she fell asleep on her chaise and it was not a very graceful position. He dropped his bag on her messy desk. _Was she working on something?_

"Mari?" Adrien sunk to the floor to a sitting postion. He inspected her face. "Mariiiinette?" 

He poked her cheek, pinched her nose a little and poked less gently on her forehead. Even said her name a little louder. 

_God_, she could sleep through World War III underneath her bed. That absolutely won't do! Especially not today! 

What on Earth did she do last night for her to be this wiped? 

"Marineeeette..." He wines directly onto her ear. She stirred but not a flutter of lashes. "Okay. Not working." What else could he do? 

"You asked for it missy." Adrien says with a sullen look. He made a quick beeline down to the kitchen to get his weapon of icy destruction. Two was enough. 

He came back up with hands cupped. Adrien walked to where she had her back turned and pulled at the collar of her shirt, in a single flow, he successfully slipped in the two ice cubes into her back. 

Marinette squealed awake. She pawed her back frantically and half disoriented. 

She found her culprit behind a pillow shield, that fluffy square won't save him. "I'm gonna hurt you so _bad_, cat boy!"

\--

The classroom was still empty when they got to school, they found their classroom. And with luck they had all their classes together. Luck or Emilie made calls to make sure of it, a notion no one could prove. 

Center front was where the two decided to set base to. 

Marinette told him her first day stories to make the blonde less jumpy but that didn't mean she wasn't jumpy as well. Deep down she was absolutely worried, praying certain people wasn't in their class. It bugged her to no end, those people who are so toxic they might even ruin her friendship with Adrien. 

Just when she had someone akin to something like a best friend. No, he _was_ her best friend.

"Why good morning, Marinette! So good to see you! And who's this? Made a friend?" 

This is where their luck ran out it seems. 

Marinette looks up her demeanor turned meek. She said nothing to the tan skinned girl. 

The change, however, didnt sit well with Adrien. "Sorry, can we help you?" He asks with a very fake kind smile. 

"Oh no, just saying hello. And if you need help making new friends don't be shy to come to me!" 

Translation, I know more people than that nobody. 

Adrien didn't bite the bait. "Nah I'm good, I think I can do better making friends on my own." He grinned and slung his arm around Marinette. "And hey! I got Marinette! And she's the best!" 

That threw the other girl off a little but still smiled, it looked a little strained. "Okay then, I'm Lila! Nice to meet you..."

"Adrien." He says wile giving Marinette a squeeze. 

"Well, tell me if you need anything.." She backed down for now since other kids started to fill in the seats. 

When he did turn to check if Marinette was okay, she was staring up at him oddly. It was really adorable since she resembled a puppy. "What?" He grinned down at her. 

She mirrored his smile and bumped his knee. 

"You're the best too, Adrien."

He felt like a hero. 


End file.
